Alien title sequence analysis

The title sequence of the first alien film starts off dark, with a glittery and perhaps unearthly background. What we see is very shadowy and difficult to interpret which gives us a sense of an encounter with the unknown which is a stereotypical play on a fear. The Camera slowly pans from left to right. This gives a creepy feel because the viewer does not know what is going to come into the shot next. It also disorientates the viewer because you can’t get a sense of scale.

The title ‘Alien’ comes up at the top of the screen in separated straight lines. Right until the very end we do not know this is the title of the film. It can be read as looking like symbols, which reinforces the meaning of the film that when the characters on the spaceship first see the aliens they don’t know what are. The way the title sequence is set out purposely gives us clues about what the film is going to be about. Everything in the sequence points to the centre. This could be read as a clue to the main film, because in the film, the centre is where the pupae of the Alien comes from; the middle of you. The title also looks like an ‘alien’ encryption which could be read as there being a creature that has previously been around a long time ago and is now being re-awakened. Sound plays an important part in a thriller as it can make the sequence seem more scary and real. The non-diagetic music is slow with high-pitched noises every now and then. This music creates steady, dark tension which gives the audience a sense of being in a nightmare.
I believe ‘Alien’ to not be stereotypical of thrillers as it has high production values. You can tell this by the fact it was made in 1979 and would still not seem out of place today. This is compared to the normally gritty realism and rough camerawork of a thriller.